October 6, 2025 • 14 mins
From Alabama’s ice-cream cone ban to North Carolina’s strict bingo curfew, America’s weirdest laws are alive and well. In this hilarious first half of our 50-state tour, host Amy uncovers 25 bizarre rules that prove history is stranger than fiction. Learn why pickles must bounce in Connecticut, why elephants pay for parking in Florida, and why you can’t eat fried chicken with a fork in Georgia. Packed with quirky stories, historical context, and fake commercials, this episode is a finger-lickin’ legal feast.
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Like and Subscribe:
Apple
Spotify
IHeart
Audible
This episode of The Strange History Podcast is brought to you by Spreaker — the podcast platform so powerful, even ghosts can’t stop streaming. Seriously, our analytics show 12% of our audience is from “The Beyond.” “Join us… forever…” With Spreaker, you can record, edit, and publish faster than you can say “is that EVP or just bad Wi-Fi?” Whether you’re a living creator or a deceased conductor still riding the rails, Spreaker makes sure your voice echoes across every major platform — and possibly your listeners’ basements. Spreaker: where your podcast never dies — it just gets better CPM rates. Spreaker — because eternity deserves good monetization.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome, dear listeners to the Strange History podcast, where history
is never boring and America's legal past is sometimes stranger
than fiction. I'm your host, Amy, and today we're diving
into the first half of a two part mega episode
fifty of the weirdest, most unusual laws in US history
(00:20):
that are still technically on the books. In this episode,
we'll travel from Alabama through North Carolina, exploring everything from
pickles that must bounce to chickens you must eat with
your hands. These laws may be dusty, but they're real
and their backstories are just as bizarre as the rules themselves.
(00:40):
So grab a seat, keep your ice cream cone out
of your back pocket, and let's begin.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Alabama, no ice cream in your back pocket.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
In Alabama, carrying an ice cream cone in your back
pocket is against the law. This dates back to the
eighteen hundreds, when horse thieves figured out that if a
horse simply followed you home, you weren't technically stealing it.
A cone in your back pocket created a trail of temptation,
and suddenly you had a horse without a crime. Lawmakers
(01:09):
weren't amused and passed a statute to put an end
to dessert based theft. One man in Birmingham supposedly tried
this in the early twentieth century and found himself in court.
The judge reportedly told him, sir, by a lead rope.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Alaska, don't wake bears for photos.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
In Alaska, it's illegal to wake a sleeping bear just
to take a photograph. It sounds obvious, but tourists once
treated grizzlies like props. In the nineteen seventies, report surfaced
of visitors prodding bears out of hibernation with sticks to
get action shots. Rangers cracked down, passing laws to protect
(01:49):
both people and wildlife. In twenty eighteen, three tourists tried
exactly this near Denali. They were fined, and the bear,
still asleep became a local legend for ignoring the humans
who were so desperate for Instagram likes.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Arizona donkeys in bathtubs after seven pm.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Arizona has one of the most famous odd laws, no
donkeys in bathtubs after seven pm. The story goes back
to nineteen twenty four, when a rancher's donkey liked to
nap in an abandoned tub near a dam. A flood
carried the tub and donkey downstream. The animal was rescued,
(02:30):
but the chaos convinced lawmakers to ban the practice. The
donkey survived, but the law lives on to this day.
Kingman sells bathtub donkey shirts, proving that sometimes the strangest
events leave the longest marks.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Arkansas. Don't mispronounce Arkansas.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Arkansas takes pronunciations seriously. By law, it must be pronounced Arkansaw,
never Arkansas. The rule was set in eight eighteen eighty
one to preserve the French heritage of the name. In
nineteen forty seven, two radio DJs kept mispronouncing it as
a joke and were fined. They apologized live on air,
(03:11):
showing that in Arkansas, your accent can be criminal. If
you're traveling there, it pays to practice ahead of time.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
California no pre dawn canary whistling.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
In San Francisco, it's technically illegal to whistle for your
canary before seven am. In the early nineteen hundreds, escaped
birds were common, and owners whistled at dawn to call
them back. The problem entire neighborhoods became unwilling audiences to
shrill bird calls at sunrise. Neighbors complained and the city
(03:43):
created an ordinance to curb the noise. One man fined
in nineteen oh two eventually got his bird back, but
only after paying the penalty for disturbing the peace.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Tired of breaking strange laws you didn't know existed, try
Legal Beagle, America's first subscription service that explains local ordinances
in plain English. Wondering if your pickle will pass in Connecticut,
Legal Beagle will bounce it for you. Not sure if
your donkey can take a bath, We'll set the schedule.
Subscribe now, and Legal Beagle will make sure your pockets
(04:16):
are free of ice cream cones.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Colorado no catapults at buildings.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Colorado doesn't allow catapults to be aimed at buildings. This
stems from the nineteen seventies, when students at the University
of Colorado built a working trebuche and launched water balloons
at dorms. The prank caused damage and the city cracked down.
Since then, pumpkin chucking contests are only allowed in designated
areas and never at the Dean's office. Connecticut. Pickles must bounce.
(04:47):
Connecticut law once declared that pickles must bounce to qualify
as pickles In nineteen forty eight, two men were arrested
for selling substandard cucumbers as pickles. In court, inspectors dropped
them and they failed to bounce. The men were fined,
and the law became legend At fairs. Today, some still
(05:08):
stage pickle bounce contests as a joke, reminding everyone that
in Connecticut, justice is brined and bouncy.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Delaware, no whispering in church.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
In Delaware, whispering in church during a service is technically
against the law. This comes from colonial eradcorum rules that
punished disruptions in worship. In nineteen seventy two, teenagers were
escorted out of a Wilmington church for whispering during mass.
Though not arrested, they were reminded of the rule and
it became a running joke in local papers. Silence is
(05:42):
golden and legal.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Florida. Pay the parking meter for your elephant.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Florida once hosted countless circuses, and with elephants came logistics.
Cities required that elephants tied to parking meters must pay
the same fee as cars. In nineteen fifty eight, Ringling
Brothers handlers dutifully fed coins into meters for elephants during
a parade Saint Petersburg. Officials praised their legal compliance, and
(06:11):
the law remains in the books.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Georgia Eat fried chicken with your hands.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
In Gainesville, Georgia, the poultry capital of the world, fried
chicken is legally designated a finger food. Passed in nineteen
sixty one, the law was more publicity stunt than serious crime,
but it's still enforceable. In two thousand and nine, a
ninety one year old tourist was humorously arrested for using
a fork. She was pardoned after promising to eat the
(06:40):
rest of her meal with her hands.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Hawaii No Billboards.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Hawaii bans billboards to protect its scenic views. Enacted in
the nineteen twenties, the law ensures that the island's beauty
speaks for itself. In nineteen sixty, Coca Cola attempted to
put a giant ad on a barn roof in Honolulu.
Locals protested, the city intervened, and the sign was quickly removed.
(07:06):
Thanks to this rule, every drive in Hawaii looks like
a postcard.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Idaho No fishing from camels.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Idaho prohibits fishing while riding a camel. In the mid
eighteen hundreds, the US Army experimented with camels as pack
animals in the West. Soldiers reportedly tried fishing from them,
and legislators decided to ban the practice. A nineteen fifteen
newspaper tells of a man fined for attempting it, making
(07:34):
this one of the strangest relics of America's camel phase.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Illinois don't give whiskey to dogs.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Illinois forbids giving alcohol to dogs. In the eighteen hundreds,
taverns often let dogs drink for entertainment, but animal cruelty
laws put a stop to it. In nineteen twenty four,
a bar in Chicago was fined after a bulldog was
served beer by its owner. Today, special t see non
alcoholic dog beer is available, perfectly legal and much kinder
(08:04):
to man's best friend.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Indiana must play the violin for a license.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Indiana once required certain business owners to demonstrate musical ability,
usually on the violin, when applying for a license. The
belief was that musicians had good moral character. In the
nineteen thirties, a violin teacher even helped shopkeepers pass the requirement.
It's no longer enforced, but the legend remains a quirky
part of Indiana's legal history.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Iowa no mustache kissing.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
At one time, in Iowa, it was illegal for men
with mustaches to kiss women in public. The law reflected
Victorian fears about hygiene and propriety. In nineteen ten, a
man in Cedar Rapids was fined for mustache kissing. A
local paper joked smooth lips, smooth justice, and the rule
became infamous.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Kansas no screaming in haunted houses.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
In Topeka, Kansas, screaming in a haunted house is technically illegal.
The law was created after neighbors complained about the noise
from seasonal attractions. In nineteen ninety two, a haunted house
owner was cited when police responded to excessive screaming. So
if you're visiting a haunted house in Topeka, better clap
politely instead.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Kentucky no dying ducks.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Blue Kentucky bands dying ducks unless you're selling them in
groups of six. This was meant to discourage people from
buying single dyed animals as novelty pets. In the nineteen seventies,
a store owner dyed two ducks pink and was fined.
He was ordered to restore them to their natural color,
though how exactly he managed that remains a mystery.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Louisiana No Gargling in.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Public Louisiana law prohibits gargling in public places. In the
French Quarter, nuisances like loud gargling contests became a problem,
so lawmakers cracked down. In nineteen fifty a man was
arrested for gargling Bourbon on Bourbon Street, confusing tourists who
thought it was part of the act.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Maine, dancing requires a permit.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Some main towns require permits for public dancing. The goal
was to control crowds and prevent drunken fights at gatherings.
In the nineteen seventies, police raided a Portland bar for
hosting illegal dancing. The owner complained it wasn't even good dancing.
Today most towns have repealed the law, but it's a
reminder that fun once needed paperwork.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Maryland. No lions at the movies.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
In Maryland, it's illegal to bring a lion to the movies.
In the nineteen twenties, traveling circuses sometimes promoted shows by
parading lions into theaters. Authorities banned it for public safety.
In nineteen fifty six, a promoter tried sneaking in a
lion cub during the African Queen, but police stopped him
(10:57):
at the door.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Massachusetts, oh tees require a permit.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Massachusetts once required permits for goatees. Facial hair was linked
to immoral character, and local governments regulated it. In the
nineteen forties, a Harvard student was fined for growing a
beard without approval. He protested it was for a Shakespeare play,
but the judge insisted even the Bard would have needed
(11:23):
a permit.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Michigan no crocodiles in bathtubs.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
In Michigan, it's illegal to keep a crocodile in your bathtub.
The law came after a nineteen thirty nine raid where
police found one in a mobster's apartment. He claimed it
was just a pet, but the law quickly followed. Michigan
bathtime is now reptile free by statute.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Minnesota no greased pig contests.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Minnesota bands greased pig contests once a staple of fairs.
Lawmakers cited animal welfare concerns and safety issues. In nineteen
seventy one, a fare was fined after holding one anyway.
The pigs free to trot off were called the first
winners in history.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Mississippi. No swearing in public.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Mississippi law prohibits public profanity. Originally meant to uphold public decency,
it's still occasionally sighted. In twenty thirteen, a man was
arrested after shouting obscenities in a Walmart parking lot. Officials
pointed to the law, proving that even in modern times,
cursing in public can cost you.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Missouri. No driving with an uncaged bear.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Missouri law requires bears to be caged when transported in vehicles.
The rule dates to the circus days, when animals often
traveled through small towns. In nineteen forty eight, police stopped
a man with a black bear sitting in his truck
bed happily licking an ice cream cone. He was fined
and the law stuck.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
North Carolina bingo games limited to five hours.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
North Caro Carolina law caps bingo games at five hours.
Lawmakers feared marathon bingo was too close to illegal gambling.
In twenty thirteen, a church fundraiser was warned when their
game stretched to six hours. The organizer protested, it takes
as long as it takes, but the state disagreed.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
Do you sell cucumbers in Connecticut. Then you need the
pickle Check three thousand, the world's first bounce certification machine.
Just drop your pickle and watch it boying into legality.
Order today and receive a free kit to test your
butter in Wisconsin.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Warning may launch pickles through drywall.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
And that's part one of our two episode journey through
America's Strangest Laws. We've covered Alabama through North Carolina, twenty
five states of legislative oddities from ice cream theft prevention
to bingo time limits. But we're not done yet. In
part two, we'll finish our road trip covering North Dakota
through Wyoming. Trust me, the second half is just is weird.
(14:01):
If you enjoyed today's episode, hit subscribe, leave us a review,
and share it with your friends. Until next time, I'm
Amy reminding you that history is strange, but the law
is stranger.
Welcome, dear listeners to the Strange History podcast, where history
is never boring and America's legal past is sometimes stranger
than fiction. I'm your host, Amy, and today we're diving
into the first half of a two part mega episode
fifty of the weirdest, most unusual laws in US history
(00:20):
that are still technically on the books. In this episode,
we'll travel from Alabama through North Carolina, exploring everything from
pickles that must bounce to chickens you must eat with
your hands. These laws may be dusty, but they're real
and their backstories are just as bizarre as the rules themselves.
(00:40):
So grab a seat, keep your ice cream cone out
of your back pocket, and let's begin.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Alabama, no ice cream in your back pocket.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
In Alabama, carrying an ice cream cone in your back
pocket is against the law. This dates back to the
eighteen hundreds, when horse thieves figured out that if a
horse simply followed you home, you weren't technically stealing it.
A cone in your back pocket created a trail of temptation,
and suddenly you had a horse without a crime. Lawmakers
(01:09):
weren't amused and passed a statute to put an end
to dessert based theft. One man in Birmingham supposedly tried
this in the early twentieth century and found himself in court.
The judge reportedly told him, sir, by a lead rope.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Alaska, don't wake bears for photos.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
In Alaska, it's illegal to wake a sleeping bear just
to take a photograph. It sounds obvious, but tourists once
treated grizzlies like props. In the nineteen seventies, report surfaced
of visitors prodding bears out of hibernation with sticks to
get action shots. Rangers cracked down, passing laws to protect
(01:49):
both people and wildlife. In twenty eighteen, three tourists tried
exactly this near Denali. They were fined, and the bear,
still asleep became a local legend for ignoring the humans
who were so desperate for Instagram likes.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Arizona donkeys in bathtubs after seven pm.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Arizona has one of the most famous odd laws, no
donkeys in bathtubs after seven pm. The story goes back
to nineteen twenty four, when a rancher's donkey liked to
nap in an abandoned tub near a dam. A flood
carried the tub and donkey downstream. The animal was rescued,
(02:30):
but the chaos convinced lawmakers to ban the practice. The
donkey survived, but the law lives on to this day.
Kingman sells bathtub donkey shirts, proving that sometimes the strangest
events leave the longest marks.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Arkansas. Don't mispronounce Arkansas.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Arkansas takes pronunciations seriously. By law, it must be pronounced Arkansaw,
never Arkansas. The rule was set in eight eighteen eighty
one to preserve the French heritage of the name. In
nineteen forty seven, two radio DJs kept mispronouncing it as
a joke and were fined. They apologized live on air,
(03:11):
showing that in Arkansas, your accent can be criminal. If
you're traveling there, it pays to practice ahead of time.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
California no pre dawn canary whistling.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
In San Francisco, it's technically illegal to whistle for your
canary before seven am. In the early nineteen hundreds, escaped
birds were common, and owners whistled at dawn to call
them back. The problem entire neighborhoods became unwilling audiences to
shrill bird calls at sunrise. Neighbors complained and the city
(03:43):
created an ordinance to curb the noise. One man fined
in nineteen oh two eventually got his bird back, but
only after paying the penalty for disturbing the peace.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Tired of breaking strange laws you didn't know existed, try
Legal Beagle, America's first subscription service that explains local ordinances
in plain English. Wondering if your pickle will pass in Connecticut,
Legal Beagle will bounce it for you. Not sure if
your donkey can take a bath, We'll set the schedule.
Subscribe now, and Legal Beagle will make sure your pockets
(04:16):
are free of ice cream cones.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Colorado no catapults at buildings.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Colorado doesn't allow catapults to be aimed at buildings. This
stems from the nineteen seventies, when students at the University
of Colorado built a working trebuche and launched water balloons
at dorms. The prank caused damage and the city cracked down.
Since then, pumpkin chucking contests are only allowed in designated
areas and never at the Dean's office. Connecticut. Pickles must bounce.
(04:47):
Connecticut law once declared that pickles must bounce to qualify
as pickles In nineteen forty eight, two men were arrested
for selling substandard cucumbers as pickles. In court, inspectors dropped
them and they failed to bounce. The men were fined,
and the law became legend At fairs. Today, some still
(05:08):
stage pickle bounce contests as a joke, reminding everyone that
in Connecticut, justice is brined and bouncy.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Delaware, no whispering in church.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
In Delaware, whispering in church during a service is technically
against the law. This comes from colonial eradcorum rules that
punished disruptions in worship. In nineteen seventy two, teenagers were
escorted out of a Wilmington church for whispering during mass.
Though not arrested, they were reminded of the rule and
it became a running joke in local papers. Silence is
(05:42):
golden and legal.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Florida. Pay the parking meter for your elephant.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Florida once hosted countless circuses, and with elephants came logistics.
Cities required that elephants tied to parking meters must pay
the same fee as cars. In nineteen fifty eight, Ringling
Brothers handlers dutifully fed coins into meters for elephants during
a parade Saint Petersburg. Officials praised their legal compliance, and
(06:11):
the law remains in the books.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Georgia Eat fried chicken with your hands.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
In Gainesville, Georgia, the poultry capital of the world, fried
chicken is legally designated a finger food. Passed in nineteen
sixty one, the law was more publicity stunt than serious crime,
but it's still enforceable. In two thousand and nine, a
ninety one year old tourist was humorously arrested for using
a fork. She was pardoned after promising to eat the
(06:40):
rest of her meal with her hands.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Hawaii No Billboards.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Hawaii bans billboards to protect its scenic views. Enacted in
the nineteen twenties, the law ensures that the island's beauty
speaks for itself. In nineteen sixty, Coca Cola attempted to
put a giant ad on a barn roof in Honolulu.
Locals protested, the city intervened, and the sign was quickly removed.
(07:06):
Thanks to this rule, every drive in Hawaii looks like
a postcard.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Idaho No fishing from camels.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Idaho prohibits fishing while riding a camel. In the mid
eighteen hundreds, the US Army experimented with camels as pack
animals in the West. Soldiers reportedly tried fishing from them,
and legislators decided to ban the practice. A nineteen fifteen
newspaper tells of a man fined for attempting it, making
(07:34):
this one of the strangest relics of America's camel phase.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Illinois don't give whiskey to dogs.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Illinois forbids giving alcohol to dogs. In the eighteen hundreds,
taverns often let dogs drink for entertainment, but animal cruelty
laws put a stop to it. In nineteen twenty four,
a bar in Chicago was fined after a bulldog was
served beer by its owner. Today, special t see non
alcoholic dog beer is available, perfectly legal and much kinder
(08:04):
to man's best friend.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Indiana must play the violin for a license.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Indiana once required certain business owners to demonstrate musical ability,
usually on the violin, when applying for a license. The
belief was that musicians had good moral character. In the
nineteen thirties, a violin teacher even helped shopkeepers pass the requirement.
It's no longer enforced, but the legend remains a quirky
part of Indiana's legal history.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Iowa no mustache kissing.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
At one time, in Iowa, it was illegal for men
with mustaches to kiss women in public. The law reflected
Victorian fears about hygiene and propriety. In nineteen ten, a
man in Cedar Rapids was fined for mustache kissing. A
local paper joked smooth lips, smooth justice, and the rule
became infamous.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Kansas no screaming in haunted houses.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
In Topeka, Kansas, screaming in a haunted house is technically illegal.
The law was created after neighbors complained about the noise
from seasonal attractions. In nineteen ninety two, a haunted house
owner was cited when police responded to excessive screaming. So
if you're visiting a haunted house in Topeka, better clap
politely instead.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Kentucky no dying ducks.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Blue Kentucky bands dying ducks unless you're selling them in
groups of six. This was meant to discourage people from
buying single dyed animals as novelty pets. In the nineteen seventies,
a store owner dyed two ducks pink and was fined.
He was ordered to restore them to their natural color,
though how exactly he managed that remains a mystery.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Louisiana No Gargling in.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Public Louisiana law prohibits gargling in public places. In the
French Quarter, nuisances like loud gargling contests became a problem,
so lawmakers cracked down. In nineteen fifty a man was
arrested for gargling Bourbon on Bourbon Street, confusing tourists who
thought it was part of the act.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Maine, dancing requires a permit.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Some main towns require permits for public dancing. The goal
was to control crowds and prevent drunken fights at gatherings.
In the nineteen seventies, police raided a Portland bar for
hosting illegal dancing. The owner complained it wasn't even good dancing.
Today most towns have repealed the law, but it's a
reminder that fun once needed paperwork.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Maryland. No lions at the movies.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
In Maryland, it's illegal to bring a lion to the movies.
In the nineteen twenties, traveling circuses sometimes promoted shows by
parading lions into theaters. Authorities banned it for public safety.
In nineteen fifty six, a promoter tried sneaking in a
lion cub during the African Queen, but police stopped him
(10:57):
at the door.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Massachusetts, oh tees require a permit.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Massachusetts once required permits for goatees. Facial hair was linked
to immoral character, and local governments regulated it. In the
nineteen forties, a Harvard student was fined for growing a
beard without approval. He protested it was for a Shakespeare play,
but the judge insisted even the Bard would have needed
(11:23):
a permit.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Michigan no crocodiles in bathtubs.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
In Michigan, it's illegal to keep a crocodile in your bathtub.
The law came after a nineteen thirty nine raid where
police found one in a mobster's apartment. He claimed it
was just a pet, but the law quickly followed. Michigan
bathtime is now reptile free by statute.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Minnesota no greased pig contests.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Minnesota bands greased pig contests once a staple of fairs.
Lawmakers cited animal welfare concerns and safety issues. In nineteen
seventy one, a fare was fined after holding one anyway.
The pigs free to trot off were called the first
winners in history.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Mississippi. No swearing in public.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Mississippi law prohibits public profanity. Originally meant to uphold public decency,
it's still occasionally sighted. In twenty thirteen, a man was
arrested after shouting obscenities in a Walmart parking lot. Officials
pointed to the law, proving that even in modern times,
cursing in public can cost you.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Missouri. No driving with an uncaged bear.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Missouri law requires bears to be caged when transported in vehicles.
The rule dates to the circus days, when animals often
traveled through small towns. In nineteen forty eight, police stopped
a man with a black bear sitting in his truck
bed happily licking an ice cream cone. He was fined
and the law stuck.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
North Carolina bingo games limited to five hours.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
North Caro Carolina law caps bingo games at five hours.
Lawmakers feared marathon bingo was too close to illegal gambling.
In twenty thirteen, a church fundraiser was warned when their
game stretched to six hours. The organizer protested, it takes
as long as it takes, but the state disagreed.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
Do you sell cucumbers in Connecticut. Then you need the
pickle Check three thousand, the world's first bounce certification machine.
Just drop your pickle and watch it boying into legality.
Order today and receive a free kit to test your
butter in Wisconsin.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Warning may launch pickles through drywall.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
And that's part one of our two episode journey through
America's Strangest Laws. We've covered Alabama through North Carolina, twenty
five states of legislative oddities from ice cream theft prevention
to bingo time limits. But we're not done yet. In
part two, we'll finish our road trip covering North Dakota
through Wyoming. Trust me, the second half is just is weird.
(14:01):
If you enjoyed today's episode, hit subscribe, leave us a review,
and share it with your friends. Until next time, I'm
Amy reminding you that history is strange, but the law
is stranger.
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.